AP reports that three Chinese Uighurs imprisoned at Guatanamo Bay have agreed to be sent to Palau:
The deals struck with U.S. officials this week are the first among a group of 13 Uighur detainees at Guantanamo who have been offered relocation to Palau under President Barack Obama’s plans to close the controversial prison in Cuba. Negotiations are continuing with the rest of the group.
Relocating the Uighurs would bring the Obama administration a step closer to its goal of finding new homes for terrorism suspects and others captured in Afghanistan who have been cleared of wrongdoing but cannot go home for fear of persecution.
But it has also raised tension with Beijing, which regards the inmates as terrorist suspects and wants them returned to China.
Previously, some prisoners had been reluctant to go to Palau due to its proximity to China. For more information, see this past post on CDT.
